Welcome to the Bentwaters Cold War Museum – this site will provide you with all the information you need to find out more about the museum, and to plan your visit. The museum is an ideal all weather visitor attraction, and is run by volunteers from the Bentwaters Aviation Society – further information on the society and museum project can be found on their website.

What can you see at the museum?

The museum is based in the former USAF hardened command post on the former Bentwaters airfield, we believe that currently this is the only such building open to the public in the UK and Europe. The main “war operations room” and “Battle cabin” have been restored to original condition, the BT telephone exchange room, and decontamination showers and airlock are also as original. Other rooms within the building have been turned into exhibition rooms, covering the history of RAF Bentwaters from W.W.II until the base closed in 1993. Included in this are histories of the units that operated form the airfield, particularly the 81st FW.

Another room is dedicated to the history of the other airfield which was part of the “twin base” complex RAF Woodbridge, again covering the period from WWII until the present day. We have other exhibition rooms featuring information on the “Special Operations/Rescue Squadrons” that were based at RAF Woodbridge, as well as the “Aggressor” Squadron based at Bentwaters.